ABC issues news releases on the latest workforce, policy and industry issues, as well as construction-related economic data and trends. Commercial and industrial construction economic analyses include federal data on construction spending, employment, GDP and the Producer Price Index. Please note, ABC's news releases on state construction unemployment have been temporarily paused.

In addition, ABC produces the Construction Backlog Indicator, the only economic indicator that reflects the amount of work that will be performed by commercial and industrial construction contractors in the months ahead, and the Construction Confidence Index, a diffusion index that signals construction contractors’ expectations for sales, profit margins and staffing levels. Methodology for both indicators can be found here. ABC construction economic releases are published according to this schedule.

“The Department of the Treasury and SBA launched the PPP to help small businesses stay open and keep their workers employed. This relief is needed now more than ever. However, changing SBA guidance is causing many small businesses to rethink their participation in the program. Small businesses need consistency and certainty, and applicants need to know that they will be held to the same guidance that was in place at the time the business applied for a loan.

"Some deserving businesses are returning funds or choosing to forego applying due to the uncertainty created by the SBA. As the Wall Street Journal reports, demand for PPP loans has all but dried up in the last week. This collapse of trust in what ultimately has been a successful program is troublesome and will negatively impact our country’s economic recovery.

"The last thing we need is for deserving businesses to lay off employees and close their doors because ever-changing rules and the threat of civil penalties scared them away from the PPP. To fix this, the SBA needs to immediately revise its recent guidance to better mirror the PPP’s intent and to issue additional guidance making clear the terms for PPP loan forgiveness.

"Meanwhile, policymakers need to remain focused on the PPP’s original purpose—Tto ensure businesses have the financial resources necessary to keep employees paid while government-mandated stay-at-home orders remain in place. Our nation’s economy will recover, but it will take time and it will take the hard work of small businesses that are critical to our communities.”